2012 Ford Focus Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026

1,384Power Train complaints

36.8%Of all 3,756 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN1,384 · 36.8%

STEERING923 · 24.6%

ENGINE473 · 12.6%

Unspecified / other356 · 9.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM344 · 9.2%

Share of the 3,756 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Ford Focus overview page.

What owners report

“WHEN ACCELERATING, WHETHER FROM A DEAD STOP OR COASTING, 1ST, 2ND (& NOW STARTING TO DO IT IN 3RD) GEARS AUDIBLY RATTLE AND CLUNK. VERY…”NHTSA complaint 10474010 — filed 09/05/2012

“THE CONTACT RENTED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALY JERK FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. THE CONTACT…”NHTSA complaint 10473825 — filed 09/04/2012

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE HE SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE…”NHTSA complaint 10473011 — filed 08/30/2012

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Ford Focus have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2012 Ford Focus: 1,384 of 3,756 complaints on file (36.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Ford Focus have in total?

3,756 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 107 involved a crash, 15 involved a fire, 88 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.